MTN South Africa Launches Mobile Instant Messaging Solution From Movius

MTN South Africa Launches Mobile Instant Messaging Solution From Movius


MTN SA’s New “noknok” Service Gives Customers a Superior Presence-based Mobile Messaging Experience

ATLANTA, Ga., U.S.A. — Movius Interactive Corporation, a global leader in messaging, collaboration and mobile media solutions, announced today that MTN South Africa has selected its Mobile Instant Messaging (Mobile IM) solution for deployment throughout its subscriber base. This new service, branded as “noknok” by MTN, launched 27 November 2007, gives customers a more interactive, chat and presence-enabled messaging experience than traditional SMS or MMS and at a lower price to the consumer.

With the rapid adoption of Mobile IM taking South Africa by storm, the new noknok service is set to give MTN’s mobile users a new way to stay in touch. The company sought to introduce a service under its own brand that would take MTN a bold step closer to the internet world. MTN wanted a fun, differentiated multimedia service that would provide tangible customer benefit and allow users to seamlessly communicate with their contacts, whether or not they have a Mobile IM client installed on their handset, and regardless of the network they are using. “We looked to Movius, which provides our voicemail and multimedia messaging applications, to deliver this solution,” said Wouda du Plessis, Messaging Portfolio Manager, MTN South Africa.

Mobile IM is the first social networking offer from Movius’ recently announced Interactive Mobile Media services. “We worked closely with MTN to ensure that the new Mobile IM solution would not only be highly attractive to MTN subscribers, but also would integrate easily with the company’s existing messaging services and business operations,” said Andy Minnaar, General Manager, Movius Africa. “It even integrates seamlessly with the Mobile IM services of competing network operators; a great convenience, allowing seamless communication with the customer’s entire community of contacts,” added Minnaar.

noknok: Who’s There? MTN SA’s New Mobile IM Service
noknok features a small downloadable handset application that is downloaded over the air. In addition, customers can use the PC-client, allowing subscribers to integrate their communications between computers and handsets. Both the handset and PC clients support a wide array of feature capabilities demanded by users ranging from group chat rooms, forums, presence and mood enabled information, as well as file or picture sharing in addition to integrated SMS and MMS.

Du Plessis concludes, “noknok is Mobile IM geared for maximum appeal. Subscribers can see their friends, how they feel and whether they are available to chat— at a glance, and MTN subscribers can now instantly communicate and share their experiences with individuals and groups.”

The new Movius brand and solutions will be featured at the company’s stand during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, February 11 – 14, 2008 (Hall 1, number F120).